Code Red
by ScottyBgood
Summary: In one moment, the whole world changes. A future so planned out ends, and all thats left in it's wake is the possibilities that will never be fulfilled. What happens when a fan goes too far, and someone else takes that moment of destiny from you? Tori is about to learn that there is pain in such moments, and that fame has more then one price. now a two shot.
1. Chapter 1

Okay, I tried to write something while listening to a song, and this came out. Funny, because the song was hallelujah.

Disclaimer: I don't own victorious or any of it's characters.

:}

Tori stood there, eyes unable to look away, her mind trying to make seance of everything. It felt wrong, everything just felt wrong. Jade was laying there, bleeding out, and Tori didn't do anything to save her friend. Tori had just stared as the crazed man had appeared here at at Hollywood Arts, bursting through the door, and tried to end her life. She couldn't move, only look as the gun pointed her way, a crazed look in the mans eyes. Tori honestly started going over every regret she could remember, feeling like her life had indeed flashed before her eyes.

Jade, without warning, lunged forward, shoving her out of the way, and taking the bullet even as her scissors found there mark. The man was left laying on the floor, stunned and disarmed and bleeding from a shoulder wound that would require stitched, but wasn't life threatening. And through it all, Tori just stood there, unable to process what happened. "Jade..." She mumbled, but her voice failed her again, and the noise she made was just a squeek.

Then, while she was still too stunned to react, the world came alive. Students who had been glued to their seats, from fear or shock or disbelief, suddenly found it in them to panic. Tori was carried away from the bloody scene by the tide of students needing to get away from that room. Beck, cool, collected Beck, had barely enough thought to grab her before he ran out the door and into the halls. Tori soon found herself outside, far from the man, but exposed to the world.

"Jade..." She finally managed to say. She knew she had to do more, find out if the pale girl was dead, dying, feeling abandoned, or if maybe the man who'd been after her had finished the blue eyed girl off. Tori wondered if that man had recovered from his wound, gotten up, and was now wandering the halls of Hollywood Arts, or if maybe he managed to slip away in the confusion.

"She's..." Beck tried to say. Only, he had no idea what to say, if the goth was dead, alive, maybe laying on that cold floor in Sikowitz's class, forgotten, bleeding out just feet from the man who'd shot her. "Oh god!" He said, his voice shallow, as if he just remembered his girlfriend, who he left laying next to a killer. A killer who may still be alive, armed, and ready to cause damage. Alone, with no one left behind to protect her from whatever revenge he might plan for when he recovered from her attack. Images of him molesting her were too disturbing for his mind, and for just a hare of a second he found himself praying she died quickly, to spare her any more pain "Jade..."

"Let it go, man, she's gone." Rex never was one for giving comfort, but in that moment, his voice was the least welcomed sound any of the gang had ever heard in any of their lives. "We move on, find us a new hot grunch to date Beck, and callllllll..." The puppets voice faded as Robbie threw him across the Asphalt Cafe. Everyone knew the nerdy boy would recover him later, but it was obvious that ever Robbie had heard enough.

"Maybe we can go back in, see if she's okay?" Cat suggested.

"No, the police are gonna want us all out of the building until they do their investigation." Andre countered.

"Has anyone called the police?" Robbie asked. A second later, four of them had their cell phones out, making calls to anyone they hoped could help.

Tori watched, helplessly, as the school officials started organizing the students, doing roll calls, finding out if anyone left early. 'They're trying to find out who's missing.' Tori realized. Seconds passed as teachers were instructed ti find out who was missing, to speed up the process of counting the six hundred students attending the school. As Lane, Mister Alexander, reached their group, she just broke down. "J-Jade's still in there. She..."

"Jade's in there?" Lane asked. "Whats wrong with her? Is she trying to get herself killed? Tori, someone brought a gun, opened fire. We don't know how bad it is yet."

"JADE'S BEEN SHOT!" Tori screamed. As soon as that was released, the petite redhead next to the Latina broke down, crying, hyperventilating, as the whole thing became much too real for her. Seconds later, each girl had a boy holding them, offering what comfort they could.

"And no one bothered to tell us that before?" Lane asked. "Someone, get the police, let them know we have an injured person in there."

"The police have arrived, sent their first team in." Someone or another told him. "And the paramedics are on their way. However, even when they get here, they won't go in until the police say it's safe." Someone pointed to where a couple of police officers were setting up command.

Lane pushed his way towards the closest police officer, even as Helen's assistant continued taking roll. The blond woman was in tears, holding herself together by virtue of the job she had to do. The police tried to calm Lane down, assuring him that things would be okay, as soon as the police cleared the school. The paramedics arrived, and were positioned to rush in, just as soon as the police gave the all clear. All the while, people made their way out of the school, in one's and twos, telling whomever greeted them who they were, and that the police had sent them out. No one had bothered checking how much time had passed, but it all happened so quickly, and seemed to take forever.

Shortly after the paramedics arrived, people stated showing up to pick up their kids. It was surreal, how even though everyone was standing there, in the open, the school demanded they wait until their parent or approved individual signed them out before letting them go. ID's were checked, and students asked if they knew the person picking them up, before anyone was allowed to go home, more precautions then the school had shown in anyone's memory.

Tori didn't have much time to watch the process, since she and Trina were among the first to be pulled out and sent home. A car was waiting, a town car, with a driver nervously watching the school. Tori didn't recognize him, but someone had, because they let her and Trina walk out to this man.

"Tori, you okay?" Trina asked her sister.

"Miss Vega, I'm to take you straight home." The man said. "Mister Thornsmith said I'm to make sure you and your sister make it into the home before I go. Your parents have been alerted, and there is a security team securing the house even as we speek. You should be safe."

"Yea, I'm fine." Tori tried to assure Trina. "Take me home..."

"Do you know what happened?" Trina asked the driver.

"Not sure, but it might be related to your sister here. Not too long ago, We identified an obsessed fan, possibly unstable, as a potential stalker, When Mister thornsmith heard about the shooting, he sent us out to make sure it didn't involve Miss Tori here, given how close it came after we'd identified the threat. We were worried that he'd come here, trying to do something to Miss Tori here. Because of that threat, we sent a team here, and to the home, to provide security." The driver informed them. "I'm glad this wasn't about you, miss Tori."

"H-he shot Jade." Tori said. "He broke into the room, had a gun out, a-and pointed it right at me. Jade, she did something, threw her scissors, and he shot her."

"And you were right there?" The driver asked. "I'm calling that in. We'll get you some help, therapy. Everything's gonna be all right."

Trina looked stunned. Tori almost expected the self centered girl to be offended, since the gunman wasn't after her, or maybe offer some cold comfort about how they'd be taken care of. Instead, the older sister just inhaled, showing a worrying feeling mirroring Tori's.

Tori was upset, both because she was almost shot, and because it felt like everyone was worrying about her. There were question, people wanting to know, if she was hurt, physically or emotionally, if she needed anything, if she wanted someone to talk to. However, through the few minutes it took for her to get home, to clear things up with Mason, with the press, she felt more and more guilty, because not one thought was being spared for Jade. Even Trina seemed to know this was bad, and offered some level of support. But as the moments passed, and the guilt massed in her mind, no words could comfort her over what had happened to her friend. The friend who may have died right in front of her, taking her place, taking the bullet meant for her. No, Tori could not, would not be comforted, not until at the very least, they found out what had happened to Jade.

Her friends knew about as much as she did, and that wasn't much. No one knew if the goth was already dead before she hit the ground, or if she bled out, alone, laying there on the old classroom floor. 'Maybe the stalker guy was able to get his gun, finish her off.' She thought, speculating about the many possibilities. Worry and guild ate at her until she found herself at home, where she immediately went up to her room and cried. Not one of the half dozen men guarding the place seemed concerned, instead checking t make sure that everyone who came to the door belonged.

In her room, Tori expected to be alone with her shock and misery, and for a time, that image held in her burdened mind. Slowly, however, she became vaguely aware of Trina's arms around her, holding her as the singer weeped. The older sister was giving whatever comfort she could, both in her embrace, which helped, and her words, which Tori wasn't even aware of. Slowly she let it all out, crying until her voice was raw. "I get it." Trina said somewhere. "Jade was your friend. I knew her, and I can feel this huge loss already. I can't imagine what your going through."

"She saved me life." Tori said. But the statement was a fair bit after Trina had stopped saying pleasantries, and had broken down into her own tears. The two held on to each other a bit longer, both gaining some strength from the others presence. It was time to be strong.

"It's okay." Trina said. "Come on, it's time. Lets find out what happened, assuming anyone knows."

They made their way back downstairs to find their parents waiting for them with anxious faces. David, the police detective, rushed forward and hugged his daughters. "Thank god you're okay."

"Jade..." Tori asked.

"I don't know." The patriarch said. "I'm not part of that case. I can call, ask around..."

"I need to know." Tori begged with her eyes, even as she held onto some small hope that her frenimy had survived. Her dad made a call, handing his youngest to his wife, who now hugged both daughters tight.

"They got the gunman." David said, but there was no comfort, no relief in his voice. "There was a shootout, and the man, he was already wounded, scissors sticking through his body armor. Kevlar's funny like that." He shook his head, not allowing himself to be distracted. "But there was a shootout, and before dying, he used what turned out to be his last rounds to kill a nearby girl who he'd wounded earlier. Then, with an empty gun, he threatened the police, and was gunned down."

"Jade..." Tori moaned.

"I'll call her family." Holly said, Letting go of her children before heading over to the phone, no longer able to look at her daughter. "Someone has to call the family." It felt like a duty, something that had to be done. Something to do rather then face the reality of what was happening right in front of her. David grabbed the girls, once again engulfing them in a warm hug before guiding them to sit down on the couch. Trina scooted closer to Tori to give them both someone to hold, just in case the news confirmed what they already thought.

Tori held onto her sister, trying to stop the shaking. That was how she faced the night, waiting for the world to be all right again. 'But it'll never be all right again.' She told herself. Tears would come, on and off, for the rest of the night. They tried to watch television, take their minds off the tragedy, but in the end they watched the news.

There were Six students injured during the attack, and one dead. Along the way, the newsman and the police took the time to praise Sikowitz, who not only dragged a couple of shruggers out of his classroom, but went from room to room getting people out while the gunman was stunned in his room. In the end, the quirky teacher barracked himself and several students in one room, a room where the students, for whatever reason, weren't able to make it out. Thats where the police found him, waiting, ready to fight, armed with a fire extinguisher in his hands to make whatever stand of it he could protecting the students.

"So, maybe he's not such a bad guy after all." Holly tried.

"He watched a student get gunned down in his class, and still has the ability to save so many others." Trina said, a new sense of awe for that coconut lover overtaking her voice. "All I did was run."

"You did good, Trina." Holly told her. "Thats what your supposed to do in a Code Red. Run if you can, hide if you can't, and fight only if the gunman is about to be a threat to you. That what the police train us to do if a gunman comes into my work. Get outside, maybe get away, and encourage others to do the same while your moving."

"Oh." Tori said, not sure what else to do. "But that gun. I see it so clearly, pointing at me, the crazy look he was giving me. It was all I could see, I couldn't move, watching as he started to pull the trigger. Then, the next thing I knew, Jade was standing over me, taking the bullets. She, I… She pushed me! I think she pushed me. I don't even know why, other then maybe to do it one last time before she died..."

"She pushed you in case the bullets went through her." David said with a strange air of certainty. "The problem with protecting someone with your body is the bullet then has to stay in your body. Some of the rounds people use, like magnum bullets, they'll go right through the intended target, get someone else, possibly even on the other side of a wall. It's the real reason we've gone to using flat headed bullets in police work..." He looked at his children, needing to change the air of regret that was descending on them. "Jade did save your life, and for that I'll forever be grateful. Now, you have to do something with it. Don't let her sacrifice be in vain."

The Vega parents let it go for then, just praying and thanking the gods or their children's continued safety. Then, after a bit longer, when it was apparent there wouldn't be any more news on the shooting, they sent the kids to bed. Next came the mountain of calls they had to make, to both sides of the family, letting everyone know Tori was physically fine, and would be getting therapy to help her through the ordeal of having watched one of her friends die right in front of her. It was the heavy duty of the parents of the survivors to let their extended families know that the child in danger made it out alive, while not taking lightly the lives lost in the tragedy.

The next day, the school was closed so the police could go over the scene and decide what went wrong. The fist thing they noted was that Hollywood Arts was an open school. They had one security guard who couldn't hope to keep anyone out if they wanted to terrorize the school. The Flour Bomber should have been a warning, but since all he did was throw flour in peoples faces, the school had let it slide. Now, they had Six wounded students, and one dead. No one was laughing about the open security now.

"One of the injured girls, Marcy Scott, doesn't have a lot of family. Her dad is in the navy, and she functionally lives alone." Robbie was reading from the Slap. "She was in a bad way, might die, and no one is available to make the call if they have to do something drastic. In fact, Lane sighed the surgery order for her." The gang had gone to Tori's house, like always, to check in on one another, and to share their fears.

"What about Jade?" Cat asked.

"She's in the morgue." The puppeteer said. "Her parents aren't rushing to come get her. They don't seem that thrilled about making arrangements for her. It's either too hard, or they just don't care..." He felt uncomfortable speculating any further.

"So we can go see her?" Cat asked.

"No, only family is allowed to see her." Tori told the redhead. "Sorry."

"But Beck's practically family, so he can go see her, say goodbye." Cat tried.

"I can't." Beck said, his voice sounding defeated. "And before you say it, it's not just that I'm not family. I-I feel so ashamed. I know someone had to get Tori out of there, but I just left Jade. I abandoned the girl I once loved. I-I still have feelings for her, yet I just left her there, on the dirty floor, like garbage."

"Don't be so hard on yourself." Trina chimed in. "Yes, someone should have tried to do something. But you had no idea if the gunman was down, dead, or about to just pop back up. Jade gave her life to save Tori, the least you could do was finish the job. Now, lets honor that memory, shall we?"

Slowly they started sharing stories of Jade. Many highlighted how mean she was, or her sense of revenge. But as they got going, there were a lot of happy memories involving her. They remembered her as a caring friend who often went the extra mile for those she cared about. They rediscovered the talented girl's sense of humor, and how she could brighten up a room with a well placed one liner. Slowly they fond some joy in the darkness, only for the realization that this Jade they'd just rediscovered was now dead and gone. With that, the joy came crashing down again, and they had t start all over, finding new things to say to help them feel better.

That day, and the next, Tori got a lot of calls, from Mason, as well as a few other in the industry. Her being nearly killed had hit the news cycle, and people were sending their best wished for her speedy recovery. The outpouring of love and support made her feel sick. She was alive, unharmed, almost unscathed, and Jade was gone. Worse, Jade wasn't even mentioned. It was like her sacrifice was expected, and no one should care that a seventeen year old girl had died protecting Tori.

Then there was poor Marcy. For whatever reason, her family had left her to fend for herself, and so she lay there in a coma, at the hospital, waiting for someone to visit. "At least she's alive." Someone wrote on her Slap wall. Someone else wrote that they hopped she stayed that way. It appeared, however, that she didn't have a lot of friends. Beck suggested that someone do something about that. They bought her cards, and sent flowers. The sent flowers to all the injured, noting their names, and wishing everyone a speedy recovery. But the others, they had various levels of wounding, but they were all expected to make a speedy recovery, while Marcy was touch and go, alone, with only the doctors and nurses visiting her.

Then Sikowitz organized a vigil for the wounded, including an outpouring of support for the almost forgotten Marcy, as well as a remembrance for Jade, all happening outside the hospital that temporarily housed the two girls not able to go home already. Students RSVP'd that they'd show up, to think about the wounded and pay respects to two girls they didn't really know or understand. Tori made arrangements to attend, along with her sister. With her stalker dead, Mason felt it was safe enough. "Plus, it'll be good public relations." He'd said. Tori just felt worse, confused and empty and wishing that there was someone who would make ti better by acknowledging what happened, and not sugarcoating things lie she was some child..

The school had stayed closed a second day, while counselors were working with the students. The stress, the fear, from that event alone had caused all kinds of suffering and pain among the student body. So the school had brought in therapists, available to talk for a while, just enough to help the students start to process their losses. It was a start, and the end of the day would be the vigil, a chance to continue to heal from the tragedy that had befallen their school. It would also give a chance to those who wanted to say something, almost anything, about the fallen, both living and dead. It was capped off by the school announcing that someone from Marcy's family had arrived, and would be checking up on her during the vigil. Everyone wanted to know how she was doing, and the RSVP's flooded in.

Based on what he's seen during the therapy, and at the vigil, Lane had noted that there was a lot of anger mixed in among the students. Everywhere anyone went as they gathered towards the vigil, people were raging at the man who let his own issues get to the point where killing the girl he'd been obsessing over was his way of claiming something beautiful for himself. "And thats even with California's strict gun control laws." Someone said, making Tori feel a bit angry herself.

Also, many of the students were wazzed that two of their own were taken from them, one dead, one in a coma. They were upset, because many of them only kinda knew Jade, and hadn't gotten he chance to know Marcy. It felt like someone had taken Jade away, taking with her the chance to get to know the dark girl, and possibly taking the chance to know the shrugger as well. Students and faculty alike promised, should Marcy wake, they'd spend the time, learn her likes and dislikes, everything.

But the fates weren't with them because as the vigil was coming to a close, her uncle walked out to make an announcement. He was wearing a Navy uniform, with gold stripes under an eagle, sitting on a wheel design of some sort, in a gold enclosure, denoting his rank, and five stripes at the base of the sleeve, in gold, showing his time in serves.

"I want to thank you for the kind words, the thoughts, even the cards you sent Marcy, who had been a very isolated girl. I wish she'd lived to see such a warm, loving outpouring of support." The man said. He was a Chief petty officer in the navy, flown out to care for his niece and make arrangements for her care. But despite his time serving his country, and all the sacrifices he was used to making, this moment was obviously killing him. His voice had broken as he continued. "But my niece is dead, and has been for three days. The police, they didn't know who was who, didn't even check ID or finger prints. The best guess as to what happened was my niece was shot by the gunman, so he wouldn't die alone. I hope he rots in hell, far away from the shy girl I once bounced on my knee." He fought back a tear, straining to finish what had become his duty, and pushed forward with military discipline. His voice cracked again. "I don't know who the girl in the coma is, and I hope, pray, she wakes, because I wouldn't wish the pain I'm feeling on anyone." With that, he couldn't say any more, and broke down, sobbing and shaking and lost in so many conflicting feelings about the tragedy he only heard about, but had taken a girl he loved like a daughter.

Silence dominated the vigil for several minutes, people waiting, wondering who could be in that bed, in that coma. Then, in a mad rush, the gathered split,. Half offering prayers for the fallen Marcy, comfort for the emotionally wounded soldier who had to tell her father that she was gone. As they were doing that, Lane leading the push to help this man, the others half made a mad dash towards the building, racing in to find out if maybe the gods had been extra cruel, and had traded one innocent girls life for another.

Tori had no idea how she got so far ahead of the pack, but she didn't waste time. She sprinted through the building, towards the room she knew had the answer to her mystery. 'One of us should have come to visit the poor girl. Then we'd have seen. Spared that man so much pain.' Tori scolded herself, as her steps closed the distance towards the room. She'd raced up the stairs, beating the elevator by a few seconds more, then making her way towards the wing that Marcy was supposed to be in. Finally, she raced past the nurses who were tasked with keeping random strangers out, passing before they were totally aware she'd come, and found herself at the door to the room that held all her answers.

Tori gave herself the briefest moment to feel whatever she was feeling. Her heart was racing from the mad dash to the room. But that was just camouflage for the fear she was feeling, growing and knawing at her heart. If they were wrong, and it was some other poor girl laying in that room, then Tori knew she'd have to start the whole mourning period again, once again face the uncertain feelings she only now hinted she might have for the dark natured girl. So exhausted, shaking, scared, and full of a deep resentment beyond her ability to understand, Tori pushed open the door, and found Jade West laying in the bad, sleeping. The monitor's consistent blips were the testimonial to Jade still being among the living.

Tori knew she had maybe seconds before the room would be flooded past capacity, so she acted. Pushing past her fear, the singer closed on the pale goth, leaned down, and with all the anger she could muster, whispered in Jade's ear. "As much as I appreciate being alive, never put me through that again. I almost died twice now, and I don't like it one bit. Why twice you may ask? Well, once was when that man pointed the gun at me, and the second time was when I saw you lying on the floor." She let herself feel every bit of hatred she had for the blue eyed girl. "Jade, I fucking love you, and when you get out of here, I intend to find out if you feel the same. I heard that love is torture, so lets see how much it takes to make you mine. I'll make you suffer the pains of uncertainty, even as my love grows stronger and more sure. Then, we'll get married, and I'll deny you that worry, that need to feel like your on the edge, about to lose everything, because I intend for us to be happy. Got that, Bitch? Good! Now wake the fuck up, because I'm done mourning you."

"Lets just hope it works like in the movies." A nurse she hadn't seen before said. "Um, if you wouldn't mind, I think we need to alert her parents. You have the number?"

Thats when the tide of people arrived, flooding the aisles and waiting rooms before making their way down the hall and into the room. Avoiding the tide, Tori quietly slipped out. She got to the lobby, marveled at the many people waiting to find out what she already knew, as she picked up the phone and called Jade's parents. She didn't know how long it would take before the news spread, and felt that Jade's family should know first. She managed to tell Jade's dad, who took the news like he'd just been told his suit might be ready a day early from the dry cleaners. She was finding the number to call Jade's mother when a new commotion broke.

Beck staggered out from the room. "It's Jade, and they say she's starting to wake up. Thats good, right?" The gathering reacted with a quick cheer, before different reactions started to take place. Many moved outside, to join the prayer circle for Marcy, while others celebrated not losing two of their own. Tori, however, sent Jade's mother a text, letting her know Jade was alive, and made her way to the Canadian.

Tori greeted him with a smile. "Um, Beck, a word please." She beckoned for him to come to her.

He walked over to her, and allowed himself to be pulled into a side room. "What?"

"I've called her parents." Tori informed him. "They're still in no hurry to come get her."

"Not the most loving family." Beck agreed.

"Yea, about that." Tori shifted. "I don't know if your planning on getting back together with her, or if you are it's because of guilt, or maybe this reminded you of how much you care. I just, man this is hard. I just wanted you to know, if you two don't get back together, I'm making a play for her."

"Tori…?" The handsome actor was confused.

"I realized, when I made it to her room, just what I've wanted from her all these years. And if she is interested, I'm gonna get it." Tori clarified.

"Then, if we don't make it, I wish you the best of luck." Beck said. They hugged, and prepared for the future, where they'd be rivals for the heart of the one beauty at Hollywood Arts no one ever thought of as having rivals trying to win her.

"So, lets see if she's awake yet." Tori suggested.

"No hurry." Beck responded. "Jade won't be seeing visitors for at least another few hours. Better to go home, clean up, and be here in the morning. Need a ride?"

Tori nodded. "I just wish this didn't happen because of a tragedy like that. Maybe we should do something for Marcy."

Beck agreed, and they made their way out of the hospital to his car, and the next stage in their lives. Bot had stopped to light candles and give prayers for a girl who died virtually unknown, sad that she lacked even the small core of friends who would miss her the way her group missed jade. But the game had changed now, and Tori intended not to waste another moment.

They gave time to the vigil, then headed out. 'Beck or me, either way, bitch, your gonna be so honking happy.'

:}

There you have it. I may have more, but it really moves away from the core idea of this story, and I have no idea where it's going. Just, this is the main part, the moment and the reaction. Hope it wasn't too unbelievable.

Thanks for reading. Please let me know what you thought.


	2. Chapter 2: In memory of Marcy Scott

Surprise, I wrote another chapter, and I'm actuality happy with where this one went. Just took getting a lot of distance, and seeing where the story took me.

Disclaimer: Victorious belongs to others, and not me. No money is made from this story.

Warning: Jade's recovering from being shot, and we mention suicide, teenage death, isolation, and promiscuity. You've been warned.

:}

Jade sat in the bed, ignoring the voices from the people talking near her, not wanting to know what was happening. They were going over the details of her immediate, and potently long term, future. However, none of it seemed to matter to her. Not at that moment. Not when her body ached so much, despite the painkillers they pumped into her body. Her body hurt, and yet they kept talking.

It didn't matter how often the doctors told her she was lucky to be alive, and twice as lucky that the surgeon she had was on shift that night. They told her that the bullet had passed through her, and so she would heal much faster. In fact, the damage she'd sustained wouldn't have caused the coma if not for two factors. The bullet had gone through her torso, nicking a couple of very important organs in the process, then she lay on the cold tile floor for over twenty minutes. 'Frankly, it's a miracle you weren't dead on arrival, considering how much blood you'd lost. Plus, we had to do something about that lung..."

Jade didn't respond to the man explaining everything, she didn't have too. He wasn't talking to her, other then that aside. Not that time. Instead, he was telling her father why she couldn't go home for at least another two weeks. 'Gods, I wish he'd skip the asides. I don't need any of this.' Jade thought as the doctor turned his attention back to her father.

"So anyways, while she's recovering fast enough, we'll want to keep an eye on her, see if there are any infections we need to stay on top of." The doctor, a nice, young man, a resident at the hospital, who had been tasked with telling them how she was doing. Behind him, and older man with a stern expression was watching the boy, seeing what he might miss. That was the trauma surgeon, older and more experienced, who'd worked on her when she showed up, because they decided she needed all the help she could get if she were to survive. "Also, physical therapy." The young doctor continued.. "Jade's been, for the most part, bed bound for over a week. More, if you count the coma. We've started her on exercises to strengthen her muscles, and are pleased with the progress. Everything looks to be healing up nicely. Once the stitches dissolve, we'll know more, and should be able to send her home. That is, assuming you can keep up with her psychical therapy, and the other demands her condition will have."

"Then move her to a less expensive room." Mister West insisted, seeming not to care about the details of her condition as much as, well, how much it was costing him. "I'm not paying for her to be coddled. She survived, her mother and I are very happy. But that doesn't mean we need to be driven into the poor house just to cover her room and care."

"You have very good insurance." Another man, from the accounting part of the hospital, insisted. He was there, apparently, to field questions like this. "Plus, you've reached you've already reached your maximum deductible. And from what I can tell, in order to fully recover, Jade here's gonna need a lot of care. If you want us to provide home care..."

"Too expensive." Mister West exclaimed. "I'm not sure how well pay the bills we have, for the treatments she's already been through. Which brings me to, why haven't I seen the bills for this?"

"Thats between you and your insurance company." The doctor tried to avoid getting dragged back into this argument.

"It's already been paid for." The man from accounting said. In addition to helping field questions, he'd been going over the numbers with the man from mister Wests office, and they both looked pleased with the results.

"It's already been paid for?" Mister West asked. "What about if she needs special help, from out of our coverage?"

"Mister Thornsmith agreed, just a couple of days after the shooting, to cover whatever insurance didn't, as a way of saying thanks for saving Miss Vega's life." Chuck, from the business office at Mister Wests work, explained. "And let me tell you, given his reputation as a tight wad, I was amazed. But I guess he'll spend money for good publicity, and thats exactly what this is."

"I heard someone died in the attack." Jade said, her curiosity finally overpowering her exhaustion backed restraint. Next, she asked a question no one in the room had wanted to answer. "So who was it? Who died?"

The room was silent, with her father, for the first time, looking uncomfortable. He had all but said he'd have been happier if Jade was the one gone, except even he knew that was a lie. He'd just reverted to his bad behavior once he realized his child was alive, and was able to face him. Leaving her body unidentified as long as they did was the cowards way of dealing with their pain, and now, there was another family suffering the same fate, even as Jade's got to silently celebrate having their girl back among the living.

"I don't believe thats important." Chuck tried.

"Please, I need to know, who was it who died?" Jade asked, a dark feeling in her gut. 'Please don't be Vega. No, if it was her, we'd have heard about it. Besides… Beck got her out...'.

"Some girl named Marcy." Edith, her fathers current wife, volunteered. Jade suspected she was the one person who really hated that she survived. However, to Jade, that name threatened her with yet another kind of loss.

"Marcy?" Jade asked. "There's more then one Marcy's at Hollywood Arts. You're gonna have to give me more."

"It's not like you knew her." Mister West said.

"I believe her family was military, which is why it took so long for them to come see her, er, you." The doctor stated.

"Marcy Scott?" Jade asked, watching with a strange horror as the faces of the adults in the room all seemed to confirm that name. "My god, Marcy? But, she was, I mean..." Jade's shoulders dropped. "Marcy, Why?"

"I take it you knew her." The accountant said.

"I know her. Knew her." Jade said, feeling ever worse. 'As if my nightmares weren't bad enough.' her mind flashed to the recurring nightmare of the man, his gun leveled at her, smirking an evil grin, and moving closer as her body exploded in pain. In her dreams, her scissors missed, and he stepped closer, or would come out of the bathroom of the her hospital room, or even be in her closet, at home, waiting for her. But the pain of losing her friend was enough that Jade knew she needed to share. "Marcy was this new girl, a dancer, but she loved to write. I remember seeing something she'd been working on, speaking on her feelings of loneliness. I liked it, felt it… it was good. So I offered to help her out. I was gonna introduce her around, help her make friends. I was her fucking mentor." Blue eyes looked up, looking for anyone to help take away her growing emotional pain. "I was her mentor. My god, I'm her mentor, the only friend she had in the fucking world, and I couldn't even mourn her."

"Well, you can now." Edith said, a dark smile on her face. Everyone ignored her.

"I'm sorry for your..." The doctor started to say.

"Whens the funeral?" Jade snapped. "I have to be there. She needs a friend, someone to tell her father how talented she was. How much life she had, in her lonely existence. S-she needs me..."

"The funeral was this morning." Edith informed her. "Sorry you missed it." Then to her husband, she added "It was announced on the slap. You know I like to keep up with what they do at that school."

"This morning?" Jade sounded crushed.

"Jade, you wouldn't have been able to go, even if you'd have known." The doctor said. "You still need to heal, get stronger, recover. Maybe you can make the wake?"

"Wake?" Jade wondered.

"It's an old tradition, but in the modern world, it's often done quite differently. You see, you need to get the body dealt with fairly quickly, but now a days, often the extended family of a person can be spread out, and so won't be able to attend the funeral. So many people have a wake, or some kind of remembrance, a couple of weeks after the death. You know, so everyone can get together and remember what the person was like." The doctor explained. "So, I think that covers everything. Anyone got anything?"

"Yes." Edith said. "Why didn't Jade's annoying friends tell her the name of the dead girl?" Jade hated agreeing with that woman, ever. But she did wonder about that.

"We'd asked them not to give her any bad news without checking it with us first." The doctor said. "She was weak, and gunshot victims often have flashbacks, nightmares, all kinds of emotional trauma. Thats why she sees a therapist every day, and will continue to see one weekly for the next year plus. It's also why they didn't volunteer that information, and probably pivoted the conversion away from that subject. She didn't need the survivors guilt." He shifted to look at Jade. "Again, I'm sorry for your loss."

"When you go, send them in." Jade spat at her dad.

Of Jade's friends, Tori and Beck had made it a point to visit her every day. The others tried to do the same, but only those two had kept the commitment up, even in the face of school, and in Tori's case, a list of other commitments that drained the time away from her. Yet the two had dropped by, in some cases staying a while, every day since Jade woke up. Now, it was time for her to confront the two of them and deal with a list of problems.

Seeing the new uncomfortable look on her husband, Edith seemed to be way to happy. "Oh darling, can we stay and watch?" She almost begged.

"No, I think this is something they'll have to do in private." Jade's father said. "Edith, please go ahead. I need to talk with my daughter, alone."

"You're just going to try and move her to a semi private room, aren't you?" Chuck accused.

"No, because someone paid for the upgrade." Mister West said. "Specifically, someone other then me. No, I just need to cover a couple of things with Jade. You go on, I'll catch up."

The others filed out of the room, allowing Mister West a moment with his child. "Jade, I have two very different things to cover. First, the school district is sending a tutor, to help you catch up. I'm very interested in this. If it works, then maybe we won't have to send you back to that school. I wasn't too thrilled with it to begin with, and the lack of security was and is frightening. I just don't see that improving. Also, if you do go back, in your condition, you'll still probably need to skip a lot of the extra curricular activities, at least for a while. I'll get you a doctors note."

"Thanks." Jade drolled. 'I'll be able to do enough. Just have to clear every fucking thing with my doctor. But I'll perform again, in the showcase if possible. I'm not losing any opportunities just because I was shot!' Jade felt her spirit rising to the challenge. "I'm going back, so make sure that tutor knows it, and can catch me up with my work."

"Look, I'm still against this creative shit you wanna do, but I'm happy to have you go to any school you want." Her father said. "I'm just happy to have you alive. And that brings me to the second thing I wanted to discuss."

"That is?" Jade asked, not liking how coy her father was being.

"Your friends seem to have become rivals." He pointed out. As the confused look overtook Jade, he clarified. "Those two, the one's who look like siblings, they seem to be rivals for your affection. You know I do like Beck, but there's something to be said for someone with the right contacts to help you in an otherwise impossible career."

Jade watched her father, eyes scanning his face for any signs this was a joke. "So Tori did say something like..." Jade started, her voice low.

"I believe she did." He said. "Um, I exchanged a bit of gossip with one of the nurses, earlier, while trying to avoid coming in here. I know, I really should have visited sooner, before the accountants got involved. It's just, I raised a strong girl, and it's hard for me to see you as anything but. Laying here, even now, I have trouble accepting this, and thats knowing you'll make a full recovery." He sighed. "I wanted you strong. Do you know why?"

Jade shook her head. "No, why?" She asked. It was, to her, a strange confession.

"Ever hear a song called 'A Boy Named Sue'?" He asked.

"Johnny Cash, right?" Jade said. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, country music does feel like your speed."

"Actually, a man named Shel Silverstein wrote it, and even released an album that had that song, the exact same year. But Johnny Cash had performed it at his concert at San Quentin. It was Johnny's biggest hit ever." Mister West almost surprised his child by knowing this. "But the reason I told you was, I realized that this is a hard, cold world, and I wasn't going to be able to protect you. Not ever. So I let nature do it, making you strong. Maybe I didn't name you something that people would made fun of, but at every opportunity, I let you solve your own problems. I admit I may have made a few mistakes, but I believed I'd succeeded in raising a strong child who would fight for what she believed in. Someone who might just make it in show business. Only down side, you became less and less likely to listen to my advice. Otherwise, you'd have gone to PCH, and prepared yourself for a life where the risks are manageable, and success is more likely."

"You mean becoming a lawyer?" Jade asked.

"You're smart." He said. "I'd hoped you'd become something useful. But back to the point. Beck, he never supported you, and that worried me. I realized, maybe thats what you were used to, and thus what you were looking for. I… I hadn't thought it through enough, and now, I realize, maybe this event, getting shot, it can help you find someone who will support you. Trust me, being strong is far too much work when your child is in the morgue, and you have to go identify her body."

Jade found herself hugging her father, despite the pain. "Dad..." Tears started to flow, but he cut her off.

"No, you have to be strong." He told her. "This is important, because while many a high school romance fails, I suspect whomever wins this rivalry will be with you for quite a while. I guess I'm saying, choose carefully."

"And if I chose..." Jade started.

He cut her off. "I don't care about the gender of your relationship, just that they can give you the emotional support I avoided, back when I wanted you to be strong." He flashed her a quick smile. "Now, I think it's time you clarified what you want from them, so they can work out their end of this equasion."

Outside, Tori and Beck were sitting in the waiting room, each nervous about how to proceed. Up until that moment, they'd been walking on eggshells around Jade. Both knew she was having a hard time dealing with the memories of getting shot, not to mention almost dying. As a result, that week, they'd been with her when they could, offering all the strength they had, but neither had bothered to make as move yet. Not until today, when each of them brought their A game to try and convince her to give them a chance. Both knew that today's decision wasn't likely to be final, but still wanted first shot, just in case there would only be one. They both also knew that today had to be handled delicately, so they could maintain their friendship even as they adjusted to one of them dating Jade.

"So, I hear Mason helped pay for Jade's treatment..." Beck said, trying to dispel the silence. It wasn't helping either of them.

"He offered to pay the medical expenses for all the shooters victims." Tori said. "Then he turned around and put up a Helpfundme page, making back every dime he claimed to donate. But he does get the credit, and I suspect he made a bit more then he originally spent. So, yea, he may have put money in for Marcy's funeral too."

"Yea, that sounds like him." Beck sighed. "I tired to go to Marcy's funeral..."

"I know, kinda hard when they hold it in the morning, on a school day." Tori agreed. "It's like they didn't want anyone to attend."

"Anyone from Hollywood Arts." Beck clarified. "How many showed up?"

"Over a hundred." The singer replied. "But I'd say only half came from Hollywood Arts. She had a lot of family, all in the military. Once they gathered, they were all over the place. And who brings a date to a funeral?"

"Someone who wants to have a person holding their hand as they say goodbye to a family member." Beck replied. "Or someone who is afraid of breaking down. Maybe even someone at that stage where they need to share things, so they bring a date."

"Okay, I get it." Tori groaned. "So, how do we tell Jade about Marcy?"

"No biggie." Beck said. "It's not like she knew the girl. Hell, Marcy was a shruggr's shrugger, the kind we feel bad for, cause no one deserved to die like that, but we don't really miss her, because we had no idea who she was."

"I don't know..." Tori started. "Her family was and is mostly career enlisted, military. I get the feeling she was isolated. I kinda wish I'd found a way to reach out to her, let her know she didn't have to be alone in this big, bad, scary world."

"I suppose." Beck agreed. "But right now, Jade's our main concern. You can tell her you went to the funeral, how many people were there. Maybe that will help Jade think Marcy wasn't so alone."

"Cause thats a whole lot better." Tori scoffed. "Wait, this is Jade, you never know whats better for her. Okay, I'll handle telling her about Marcy, and you tell her about Cat."

"Whats to tell about Cat?" Beck asked.

"Not much, but I needed something to divide up the work." Tori told him. "Maybe we let her know that Cat really wants to visit, but after seeing her in a coma, as she slowly was walking up, Cat got herself barred from visiting?"

"She was just confused as to what a coma means." Beck told the Latina. "I'm sure she'll be allowed in once more, after she promises not to hit any of the patients again."

"Yea, you tell her that." Tori said, sighing. "Why do I agree to the hard chiz?"

"Because you're too nice." Beck reminded her. "But don't worry, I'm not planning on using that against you. I just, I didn't go to the funeral, cause I was afraid it'd be awkward. I don't know any of those people. Hell, if I hadn't looked her up on the slap, I wouldn't have even known what she looked like."

"Kinda like Jade." Tori said. "Shorter, with a more, um, reasonable body, but similar features, and her hair was naturally black, instead of dyed. She was a dancer. I think thats what everyone talked about, how she loved to dance. Got lost in her movements. Obviously she was a very kinetic person..."

"Yea, Jade'll like that you did your research." Beck commented.

"I just, it's like they didn't know her, so they kept talking about her dancing, like that was all there was to her." Tori griped.

"Maybe, I don't know." Beck said. "You're looking too deep. People just aren't that deep. I mean, I hate to say it, but so many people are just a layer or two below the surface."

"I don't think so." Tori argued. "Take Jade, for instance. What, in our entire time together, would make her trade her life for mine?"

Beck opened his mouth, only he froze. "I honestly don't know." He sighed. "Me, maybe. Definitely for Cat, depending on the day. But anyone else in our group? No. Not likely."

"And thats the thing." Tori pushed. "Jade's a hell of a lot deeper then we think. I found out, from Sinjin, that Jade wrote poetry. Poetry. She'd submit them to on line contests, under pen names. Won herself a few prizes, and not just the scam prizes where you send them money and they send you a cheap certificate claiming you came in judges choice. But thats our Jade, all deep and chiz."

"Yea, thats our girl." Beck agreed. "So, it sounds like your putting the work in on this. Just don't go all stalkery on her. That, I can tell you, is a turn off."

"I totally get that." Tori nodded. "Lets divide up the rest of the heavy lifting."

"Not much else to discuss." He said, smiling.

"Oh, there is." Mister West said as he walked in to the waiting room. Both had ignored Edith when she walked in, so neither was ready for him to join the conversion. "Jade will need about a years worth of physical therapy to return to where she'd been. Not saying she won't get close sooner, just they're offering the year, and we're taking it. Also, she's gonna be home schooled for at least another month, and even when she goes back to Hollywood Arts, there will be activities she won't be allowed to participate in. And oh yea, she's gonna be stuck here for at least another two weeks. Anyways, she already knows all of that, but you may want to discuss that, after you cover the big issue, which is which one of you is gonna be dating my daughter."

"Sorry, what?" Beck asked.

"No mater, I've already gone over that stuff with her, so why don't you two head on in and talk with her. Then, find out why her hyper active red headed friend hasn't been by in over a week. I think she misses that nut job." Mister West said. "But go, talk. Whichever one of you winds up with her, I'll be open minded and accept you with open arms. Tori, Beck here will tell you I don't play favorites, so I'm only rooting for you because an early pregnancy would delay her career. So, go." He pointed towards Jade's room. "Edith, I think we're leaving now."

"Fine, those two are far too civil." The woman griped. "Lets find out if Monica is available for a little fun?"

"Before you get to judgmental, Monica is a masseuse we use for couples massages, and the occasional three way." Mister West explained. "So, yea, I'm.." He followed his wife out the door and towards the elevators.

"Yea, cause that wasn't awkward at all." Tori said. Then she noticed Beck was already on his way to Jade's room. "Hay, wait for me..."

Tori trailed Beck into the room, finding Jade sitting in bed, glaring out the window. "Um, bad news?"

"That told me how long the recovery process is." Jade replied. A dark, hurt smile crossed her face. "I'll be fine, good as new, in a year or so."

"Your dad mentioned something about that." Beck tried. "But hay, you always wanted a scar."

"I got one." Jade admitted. "A tiny tiny one, cause they chose to use selective endoscopic surgery caused, and I quote, 'Less trauma to the body.' Like my body wasn't already traumatized. They claimed it's one of the reasons my chance of recovery was so high, at almost thirty percent." Another dark, empty smile. "Personally, I feel that they wanted to play with their neat toys, and my dying body was as good a training field as any. Then again, I'm here, gonna have a much smaller scar, so that'll help me with rolls, and I didn't lose any boob mass, so I still have the big ones."

"Oh, thats good." Tori flashed a nervous smile. "I went to..." Her voice caught in her throat. "Sorry, you're stuck in here, and I'm talking about going places."

"I wanted to go to Marcy's funeral." Jade griped.

"Cause she died instead of you?" Tori asked. "Sorry, that was insensitive of me."

"Tori went to her funeral." Beck pointed out. "They talked about what a good dancer she was."

"I think, maybe, that was the cover, cause the people, even her family, they had no idea who she really was." Tori said. "I don't know, but I suspect she was a lot more then a dancer. I just, we'll never know, cause she's dead, and I'm so sorry, I didn't want to bring you down like this, but I went to her funeral, like so many from school, just to find out who we'd lost, and it's like no one knew her. How can someone go to Hollywood Arts and not have anyone know them?" Tori shook her head, and when she spoke again, her voice was barely a whisper. "Sorry."

"It's okay." Jade said. "After her mother ran off, Marcy didn't really have anyone. She was supposed to be living with family, but that family kept taking deployments, or worked, or would be at sea for days on end. Marcy just got tired of trying, and gave up. Escaped into her writing, and dancing, cause the second, you really can do it like no one is watching, when no one is."

"Wait..." Beck managed, before he couldn't string any more words together. It shocked him to realize that Jade was capable of reaching out.

"You were her friend?" Tori asked, sharing Beck's disbelief.

"Yea, I was her friend." Jade confirmed. "I kinda got roped into it. Dickers asked me to help her with an assignment, writing a scene, and I loved how she expressed herself. I understood, just from her words, how lonely she was. We got to talking, and I was trying to phase her into the social group. Only, every time I tried, things came up, and she'd only been there a short time, so..." Jade's head dropped. "Now she's dead, and I fear I was her only friend in the valley."

"I'm sure she had other friends." Beck said, offering what comfort he could.

"I don't know." Tori remarked. "As I said, everyone talked about her as a dancer. No one mentioned her writing."

"Thats because her friends are all military brats, and so moved around like she did." Jade told them. "They'll be here, as soon as they can. Probably for the wake. I wanna go to that, talk to her family, let them know she was such an amazing girl, pushing on even though she was almost alone, scared of making friends because her father might move home bases again, and she'd have to relocate, starting all over. She didn't want the pain of losing another friend." Jade sighed. "I liked her, wanted to be her friend. I listened to her talking about her life, helped her find ways to compensate. I talked her into seeing a therapist, she was gonna tell me how that was working out. Only she never got a chance. She died, isolated from the people who loved her, and gods, I wish I could have been there to hold her hand, so she wouldn't have died alone."

The pale girl was crying now, mourning a friendship that was too young, but had such potential. Tori and Beck both put hands on her shoulders, trying to give comfort without knowing the limits of what they were allowed to do. Jade, for her part, accepted each of them as a friend, and let herself feel her pain. It was a dark, hurtful distraction to the next problem the injured goth was going to have to face.

After several minutes, Jade seemed to pull herself together. "You know, it sucks, that they didn't tell me about her until today." The goth said.

"We're sorry." Tori said. "We weren't sure you were strong enough to hear. I'm so sorry."

Jade gave a half smile. "I'm never gonna be strong enough to hear about the death of someone like Marcy. Not her, not Darla, and certainty not one of you guys."

"Who's Darla?" Beck asked, and immediately realized he'd stepped on a land mine.

"Friend of mine, from before I met you." Jade said. "She was older, a couple of grades ahead, and was my student mentor in grade school. We kept in touch, up until her hyper religious parents managed to drive her to suicide, just because she realized she might be gay. Of course, I only knew about her struggles cause we were email buddies. Her mom moved them out of California when it became apparent that she needed." Jade made air quotes, "'Small Town Values.' Thats code for not being gay, I guess. But Darla wrote of being alone, how everyone pressured her to change, constantly letting her know something was wrong with her, until she couldn't take it any more, and hung herself. The last part I got from her father when he told me she was dead. He had no idea why god would do that to his family. I didn't know it at the time, but now I do. Plenty of Christians seem able to accept, even love, their children for being who they are, and not judging them for thoughts or questions they have when a teenage." Jade was shaking. "Why couldn't that have just assumed it was a phase, and let her live long enough to find out that it gets better?"

Tori slid in closer, sliding her arm around the shaking girl. "Would you please do something for me?" Tori asked the girl. "Talk to a professional, cause, well, we're only allowed so much tragedy in this part of L.A, and you're using up all ours."

"They have plenty of tragedy in some of the more gang infested areas." Jade pointed out. "But this does bring up a couple of things. Um, Beck, you may wanna sit down for this."

Beck found a seat, pulling the chair closer. Tori let go of her friend, and took the other chair. Jade regarded them both, watching for who knows what. "Okay, I think we need to get something clear. Well, two things. Three?" Jade groaned. "My god, I'm becoming a Monty Python sketch."

"Monty…?" Beck asked.

"No one expects the Spanish inquisition." Tori said, smiling a half smile. "My dad has their, well, their everything. Episodes, movies, even 'And Now For something Completely different.' So I kinda know about their one running gag, one of their better known ones, and how they made a joke out of counting."

"Okay, thats another point for Vega." Jade said, smiling. "I introduced Marcy to Monty Python, cause I felt she might like their approach to humor. Some of the jokes, she didn't quite get. Then again, most people have no idea how educated those guys were." Jade rearguard Tori. "Have you seen their German stuff?"

"Yea, but don't speak the language, so it's a lot of reading." Tori admitted.

"Yea, but the tourist gag, well worth it." Jade remarked. "Okay, getting distracted. I have a few things to go over. Number one, why'd you let Cat try and wake me up when I was coming out of the coma? It didn't help, other then her getting me back for that scene from our Dale Squire short. However, it also got her kicked out of the hospital."

"We were so relieved to know you were waking up, and honestly, no one knew it took so long for someone to wake up from a coma." Beck started. "So, we kinda lost track of her..."

"We only took our eyes off of her for a second..." Tori added.

"And you can't do that." Jade cut in. "Not with small children, and certainly not with Cat. But thats beside the point. When were you gonna tell me she wasn't allowed to visit? I was kinda expecting her."

"We, I mean, I was gonna tell you." Beck said. "I just, we got caught up in you knowing Marcy, and it got confused from there."

"And before, things had gotten complicated, like, um, your dad said..." Tori stammered, trying to bridge out of that difficult topic.

"Okay, I get it." Jade waved her hand. "Now then, I don't know if I need both of you here for the next part, but I'll just do it, cause I.. I need to get through this." Her eyes focused somewhere far away. Both of her friends felt their ears perk, just a little, as they remembered what Jade's father had said outside. Then, the goth was speaking again. "Beck, I hated you for leaving me there, on the floor." Her blue eyes shifted to lock onto his. "The stupid part was, you did exactly what I wanted you to do, and I still felt betrayed, cause you never even looked back to see if I was alive. I'm fairly sure I'd have told you to run, if I could, and you'd have looked back. I wanted you to get yourself out. You, and Vega, and Cat, and Andre and oh hell, even Robbie. I wanted you guys safe, and carrying me out wasn't gonna make that happen. I just, if felt like no one cared, cause no one even looked back. Sikowitz, he ran out too, but at least he looked at me. I'm not sure, cause it was cold and I was hurting and I have no idea what I was thinking, but I almost feel like he mouthed 'I'm sorry.' Then again, he could have shouted it, and I just didn't hear him." Jade let him go, her own eyes once again far away. "I was dying. I knew it. Not sure when I slipped into unconsciousness, cause I could have danced back and forth, and just not remembered it. Or maybe it felt like I was just closing my eyes, and I didn't notice the time passing, up until I closed them, and when I opened them again, I was here. But I felt cold, so fucking cold, and alone, and I hated dying like that."

"Oh god, I'm sorry." Beck moaned, his seat saving him from falling. "I acted on instinct, and pulled Tori out of there. I..." He looked around, trying to find a memory where he came across as calculating, making the best decision based on the information he had. Unfortunately, he had heard the memories of everyone else, reminding him that he just acted. He hadn't though about Jade until he was out of the building. "I'm sorry. I didn't think...'

"And neither did I!" Her voice cut through his potently rambling apology, stopping it before it began. "You think, for a moment, I haven't been thinking about why I acted? I chose to give my life for hers, with a real chance I wasn't gonna do much more then buy her a few moments. Hell, it was even possible that the guy, he might have had trauma plates, and my scissors would have just bounce off. But I acted, lost one of my better pairs of scissors, and took a bullet. Thats something I never once thought I'd do, and yet, I acted, didn't think, and it told me a lot about myself." Jade pulled strands of her now brownish hair out of her face. "Mostly It told me I was kinda stupid, but also, that maybe I needed to reevaluate my feelings for everyone."

"Can you forgive me?" Beck asked, his face now stained with tears.

"I'm not sure I can forgive myself." Jade replied. "It'd be easier if you'd have listened to me." Her hand went up, stopping any more words. "I get it, I'm hard to deal with, and sometimes, you tune me out. I think, now, that maybe I always wanted the wrong things from you. I wanted to say," she shifted, focusing, making sure she was clear, "I'm sorry, cause I used you." She held him with her eyes. "I used you for your popularity, how much everyone wanted you. Hell, every time some girl fawned over you, I told myself 'He's mine'. Thats why I was so crazy jealous, cause you never really were mine, and when you let the girls flirt with you, never once tried to tell them you had a girlfriend, it hurt." She sighed. "Best day of our relationship may well have been when you told that bitch Haley that you had a girlfriend."

"Really?" Beck asked.

"It said you were mine, in a way that couldn't be denied. And it said that if she did try for you, it was on her, not you." Jade explained. "You see, babe, you were great, better then I deserved. And I did, I did love you. Enough to give you everything I had. Just not the way I should have loved you. If I was honest with myself, then I would have realized that I needed to love someone where being with them wasn't about how they made me look, but how they made me feel, to the point where how we looked was secondary. I'm sorry, but as much as I care for you, us, we're not getting back together." She offered her best smile. "I do need a best friend, however."

"I can do that." Beck said, offering his hand, and they shook.

"Aww." Tori moaned. "Sorry, it's just such a sweet moment."

"Tori, I have a couple of things to say to you, starting with," Her voice dropped into a growl, "Never call me a bitch again."

"You heard, huh?" Tori asked.

"Yep." Jade replied.

"I was angry, and found myself telling you I cared, in the angriest way possible." Tori tried to explained, but her hopes were dying.

"I heard it from my dad, who apparently got it by gossiping with the nursing staff here." Jade continued. "But I do appreciate you taking the time to admit you cared, cause it makes the next part easier." She held out her hand, waiting for Tori to take her. "Come on, I need touch for this part."

"I'm scared." Tori said.

"And I'm not yet strong enough to hurt people." Jade assured her. "Give me your hand."

Tori held hers out. Jade took it, and smiled a shy smile, suddenly not sure she could say what she had too. "Okay, Tori, it's like this. I didn't hear you calling me a bitch, but I did, cause thats what drew me back. I was aware of someone calling me, and the nurses said you were there, telling me how much you cared. And, and I..."

"Go on, your so close." Beck urged. At the glare his ex threw his way, he shrank down. "Should have let you have the moment, shouldn't I?"

"Okay, let get through this." Jade decided. "Tori, we can date. I'm gonna need one for the wake. And after, once I'm strong enough, we'll find out if what we have will stand the tests that life throws our way. I know, we'll have a lot of challenges as we move onward, but I'm thinking this getting shot thing is gonna be one of the bigger ones. The other? Well, you're about to break out, be a major star, and I don't wanna stand in your way."

"And if I say we'll find a way to make it work?" Tori asked, tightening her grip on Jade's hand.

"I'll believe you." Jade said. "Look, I know, it's a risk. But the way I see it, I've already risked a lot, telling you how I feel,..."

"And the whole stepping in the way of the bullet thing." Tori added. She saw her girls blue eyes glaring at her. "Shutting up now."

"Thats gonna be a major hurdle, isn't it?" Jade asked. "Look, I don't want you to want me cause I saved your life. I want you to want me because I'm the one you feel the most strongly towards, the one you loved for other reasons."

"And if you are?" Tori asked. "Look, I know we're gonna revisit that whole you getting shot thing again and again, cause we're gonna fight, and you did take a bullet for me. I'm just saying, it's not the reason I fell for you. I know now, I'd fallen for you before this ever happened. And I get it, why you were reluctant to act on your feelings, cause of needing the trappings of popularity, maybe not wanting what happened to your friend to happen to you."

"You're talking about Darla?" Jade clarified.

"Hush now." Tori said. "But yes. I can see how you'd have been scared to lose everything you had, like Darla. And I see now how losing Marcy hurt, cause she was you chance to give back to Darla for what she'd done for you..."

"I was hoping to have her date Beck." Jade cut in again.

"Oh, thats so sweet." Tori cooed.

"Um I think you're off track now." Beck prompted. "Tori, Jade is willing to try, because she realized she can't live a lie. I'm thinking Marcy was helping her see that." His head turned to face his other friend. "And Jade, I believe Tori's saying that she's willing to love you, already loved you, from before. Now then, we're all in agreement that you two are in love, and gonna have a lot of issues to face over the next few years. But think on this. If you two manage to keep it civil, work out your differences, and love one another even as you find your way through life, then even a few short years is better then being alone. So why not risk it? Be in love. I'll tell you what? I'll even make the announcement, on the slap. You two just work on your many, many issues."

"Or, and this is just an idea, we don't tell everyone until Jade's up and moving around. Give s a shot at being a couple." Tori suggested.

"Make the chizzing announcement." Jade said. "I would, but they limit my on line time, and cell phones don't always work in these places."

"Done and done." Beck said. "Um, Tori, you may want to send Jade a confirmation, so she can confirm, change her status, once she's allowed back on line."

Tori smiled at the pale girl. "I guess we're dating."

"Yep." Jade said.

"Do you wanna be alone?" Beck asked.

"I want the whole fucking gang here so I can have visitors." Jade said. "Maybe tell them I care. But no, Tori and I will have plenty of alone time. Right now, I can't do most of what I wanna do with her anyways."

"Kinda personal, don't you think?" Tori said, blushing.

"No, I won't be able to dance or a while." Jade assured Tori. "Then, of course, there's sex."

"I never realized how much you're like your father." Beck said. Smiling at the glares both girls threw his way, he added "What, this may be one of the few times I can say it and not worry about her throwing anything at me."

"Tori, hand me the bedpan." Jade instructed.

"I was kidding." Beck begged off.

"Okay..." Jade sighed, deflating a bit. "I know it's kinda odd, but could we just watch a movie together? Turn on the television and just watch something?"

"Sure." Beck said, as he stood up and found the remote. He flipped through the channels until he found an old musical, deciding that they would watch that. However, when he turned to find out if it was okay, he saw Tori kissing Jade, gently holding her as they meshed together.

'Marcy, I hope your in a better place, and that you allow Jade this much.' Beck begged the spirits. 'It looks like they've already begun to bond.'

:}

Not sure if this is it, cause I was surprised when this wanted to be written. So, thoughts are appreciated. Also, on Marcy Scott. I loved that I gave her a bit more depth. Hope you enjoyed it.

So, review.

Written in loving memory of Marcy Scott, a character I wrote fr the first chapter. You inspired the second chapter.


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